[Sportsandrec] Blind SCUBA

[Thornbury, Kelly]

When I was sighted I was an assistant PADI instructor and a search and rescue/recovery diver. There are few greater experiences than being on the "inside of the fish tank." 

There are a couple of NFBers who dive, and I think Ron Gardner (UT) is a diver. 

One place to start checking would be the International Association for Handicapped Divers (IAHD). Also, check with some of the local dive shops for adaptive instructors, I'm sure there are some in your area (but while I used to know a few instructors in the D.C. area years ago, right off the top of my head I don't remember any names). Another source might be the Diver Alert Network (DAN). DAN is an organization that studies (among other things) medical physiology of diving, and may have some suggestions for blind certifications. 

One thing you will have to consider is a full mask with an intercom system to talk to your dive partner...there are a lot of hand signals in diving, depending on your visual acuity. You will also probably be tethered to your partner, but I'm not really up on blind diving too much and couldn't offer insight on many of the techniques, but I imagine they would be similar to "zero visibility" dives in silt or algae blooms. 

Once you find a qualified adaptive instructor, you can try a "discover SCUBA" class (which usually runs about $30 or so), in which you get some basic equipment familiarization, some safety instruction, and a short dive (usually in a pool) to see if you like it. 

Diving Trivia: Per capita, Colorado actually certifies more divers every year than any other state. 

Best of luck. 
Kelly